Into Desires
by Delcesca Newby
Summary: Pain, torture and lies: the nature of a vampire. Alice hates what she is, and longs to be something different, something more. After running away, she finds someone who can fulfill her dream, but soon discovers different doesn't always mean better. AU.
1. Caught

**Author: Me, Delcesca Newby**

**Rating: T just in case some people find what takes place dark or disturbing. **

**Author's Note: This is a story I've been working on for going on a year. I really like it, and I think you all will too. It's based off of a fairytale/Disney tale, but I won't tell you which one. You're just going to have to guess. Muwahaha! Well don't forget to drop a review, and Merry Christmas (Happy Holidays for all you politically correct freaks) to you all!**

* * *

"How long was it that she told us to wait for her?" Isabella Herkmount asked her older sister, Rosalie, as they stood outside their youngest sister's bedroom door.

"She told us that she would be ready in ten minutes," Rosalie said, glaring at the door with icy blue eyes that lacked mercy. "It has been much longer than ten minutes."

"Should we go in and see if anything is wrong?" Isabella quizzed, biting her lip. "I hear the guests downstairs getting restless. They want to get on with the wedding and you know how unbearable Prince James's family can be when their kept waiting."

"They are unbearable even when they are not kept waiting," Rosalie huffed; clutching the identical bouquet of baby pink tulips and soft white daisies that Isabella held as well. Her hands clamped with so much force that Isabella was afraid that the poor flowers might snap into pieces.

"Let us go and retrieve her," Rosalie said in a low voice. "She has had plenty of time to fix the 'tear' she found in her dress."

"All right," Isabella agreed, then shoved open the door. The two sisters walked into the room and glanced around the spacious area. Everything seemed to be in tidy order, just as their youngest sister liked things, but they both frowned when they realized that the room was empty of the living being that they had been expecting to find in its depths.

"Where is she?" Isabella asked in horror.

"Look!" Rosalie said, pointing at the wide window on the other side of the room. Its glass was thrown open and a large bouquet of blue roses was resting on the sill as if it had been left behind hastily. "She must have scaled down the wall."

"And we did not hear her?" Isabella shrieked, running to the window. She gazed out but found no trace of her sister. All she could see were the thick trees that surrounded their kingdom like a second protective wall of defense. Isabella sniffed the air and the light, sweet scent of her sister fled into her nostrils. It did indeed travel down the wall below the window just as Rosalie had guessed.

"I hope she had a difficult time in that dress," Isabella growled as she turned to face Rosalie.

"She did not," Rosalie said bitterly by the huge canopy bed in the center of the bedroom. She lifted up the beautiful white gown that had been their mother's on her wedding day twenty years ago. She inspected it quickly and then tossed the dress back onto the bed. "It is not torn," she spit. "Alice just told us that so that she could sneak off."

"Why would she do such a thing?" Isabella asked in a clip tone. "Does not she realize that her union with Prince James is very important to our father? Our two kingdoms have to merge. We're a dying breed and need to stay as united as possible."

"Alice does not care," Rosalie hissed, making her way across the room and back toward the door. "She never has. The fact that we vampires are almost extinct does not even register in her thick skull. Humans could find us and slaughter every last man, woman, and child in this kingdom and Alice would not care as long as she could have her precious daydreams and freedom."

"I know Father should have had one of us marry Prince James," Isabella said as she followed her sister. "This is exactly like Alice. Neither one of us would have been cowards and would never have once dared contemplate running away from our duty as a princess of Kreedday. What was Father thinking?"

"Prince James fancied her over us," Rosalie said as they headed on their way downstairs to where everyone was waiting for the blushing bride that would never show. "And Father was not going to deny the Prince of what he wanted, even if it was a horrible choice."

"What a fool," Isabella said with a shake of her head. Rosalie nodded in agreement just as they reached the bottom of the stairs. The extremely large main hall was beautifully decorated in Alice's favorite color, teal blue. A choir of young, virgin vampires stood off to one side; ready to open up and sing at a moment's notice. The King, the sisters' father, lay right ahead of them in a splendid robe of their kingdom's colors, fiery red and onyx; prepared to marry off his youngest daughter to the handsome young man with the gorgeous brown eyes that stood in front of him. Hundreds of guests sat in chairs, though all had twisted around in their seats so that they were facing the stairs. Some of the guests looked bored, others appeared shocked that Rosalie and Isabella had appeared without Alice after such a great amount of time, and then there was Prince James's family. They were glaring with wild red eyes and growling low in their throats at the two princesses.

"This is not good," Isabella whispered under her breath to Rosalie.

"I know, but we must tell Father," Rosalie murmured back, barely moving her full lips. "Better the news come now."

"Right," Isabella said, and together they almost flew down the aisle to their father.

"What is the meaning of this?" the King asked, loud enough for the entire audience to hear. His powerful voice shook with authority and frustration; quieting the murmurs that had begun to echo throughout the room. "Where is Alice?"

"She is not coming," Isabella announced.

The guests behind her gasped.

"Alice escaped out the window," Rosalie added. "I am so sorry, Father. We had no idea that she would disobey you in such a grave way."

"This is a very harsh transgression," Prince James said coldly, his brown eyes turning dead as he looked upon the King. "It goes without saying that because of this we will be enemies from here to the end of time."

"One of us can take her place, your Highness," Isabella offered, almost desperately, to Prince James.

"No, neither of you is the one that I desire," Prince James snapped and marched past Isabella and Rosalie. He reached his family and, with a collective threatening hiss, they left Herkmount Castle without ever looking back.

Rosalie and Isabella watched them leave, just as everyone else was, and when they had disappeared into the late afternoon the two turned back to their father.

"This is our fault," Rosalie said, hanging her head in shame. "We should have known that she would do something like this."

"I do not blame you, my lovely daughters," the King growled, stepping forward to give them a loving pat on the top of their heads. "You did your best. This is Alice's blunder and she will be severely punished. Now go search for her, and, if you must, drag her back home kicking and spitting. I will tend to the guests."

"Yes, Father," Isabella and Rosalie said as one as they bowed fluidly. Their father waved them away, and they each picked up their pale skirts and took off with the speed only a vampire could achieve for their bedrooms to get changed into something more suitable for tracking their sister.

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Kate Casten asked.

"What?" Tanya Bones squeaked loudly, jumping from the unseen threat.

"I swear I heard footsteps somewhere over there," Kate responded, most likely pointing in a direction somewhere nearby Tanya; just to get her scared out of her wits. Alice rolled her eyes and continued on into the forest without glancing back at the two. Kate and Tanya trailed behind her at a much more lackluster pace. They did not want to be out in the forest, but had no choice but to follow Alice wherever she went. They were her ladies in waiting, chosen at birth to fulfill every whim Alice might need or have. And, also, they were her greatest friends and would never dare let her walk around the forest by herself.

"Where are we going, Alice?" Tanya asked after a few moments of their feet on the forest's floor being the only sound to be heard, and even they hardly made a sound.

"Away from there," Alice stated simply.

"I cannot believe that you did that to the King," Kate said disapprovingly. "How could you have walked away from your wedding like that? What kind of princess can you call yourself?"

"One that follows her own mind and heart," Alice snipped as she marched farther into the dense, green forest.

"But you promised your father that you would marry Prince James," Kate pointed out.

"Promises are made to be broken," Alice answered her with a bit of regret behind her words. She was not proud of what she had done, but she could not help it. Being tied forever to a man that she did not love held no appeal for the wild princess, even if it did cause her father pain and misery. He would move on, though, and would no doubt convince Prince James to marry one of her more political-minded sisters. They were much more suited to be queen than she was.

"He is not all that bad," Tanya added.

"Quite handsome," Kate agreed.

"Yes, but he is also dull and pig-headed," Alice said. "I could never spend my life with a man like that."

"Well you are dimwitted then," Kate snapped.

"Better to be dimwitted and happy than to be intelligent and miserable," Alice responded back as the forest started to fade into low bushes. Alice slowed in her walking when she spotted a well beaten road just beyond the brush. Kate and Tanya moved up next to her.

"We cannot be here," Kate whispered in Alice's ear. Alice ignored her.

"Are we getting food?" Tanya asked as a horse being led by a human male passed by on the road. "Because I am not all that hungry. I am still quite content with the human female I drained yesterday."

"No, we are not here for food," Alice replied, crouching low in the bushes. "I want to observe. This road gets very busy around this time of day."

"You have been here more than once?" Kate hissed.

"All the time," Alice said, tugging on both Kate's and Tanya's arms. They both dropped down and stood as still as Alice was.

"Why?" Tanya asked.

A few weary, but bright-eyed travelers walked down the road; talking loudly and laughing wholeheartedly. Alice smiled when she saw them. This was why she enjoyed watching humans. They appeared to contain such life even though they were all mostly poor and dirty. Just one another's company seemed to make them happy. Humans were very different than vampires, whose only passions in life were power, blood, and money. Humans had a sparkling quality about them that made them better than vampires; made them more real.

"You think we could ever be like that?" Alice sighed dreamily, talking more to herself than her friends.

"Human?" Kate said disgustedly, nodding sharply at the road.

"Yes," Alice smiled, purposefully overlooking the negative way Kate referred to humans.

"You want to be our food," Tanya said with disbelief. "But then we would have to hunt you and take your blood. I could not do that to you, Alice. You mean too much to me, and, besides, would that not bother you?"

"Oh, I would not mind," Alice said, patting Tanya's hand lovingly. "It would all be worth it if I could spend just a little time out of the forest among people that think about more than killing and rules and properness."

"You would give up everything to be the weaker species?" Kate asked, horrified.

"If it meant a simple and better life, then yes," Alice said without a single doubt in her mind.

"Are you sick?"

Tanya placed her wrist against Alice's forehead. "No, she feels all right," she told Kate.

"Maybe her sickness is not of the body, but of the mind," Kate suggested, scrutinizing Alice with her toffee colored eyes.

"I am not mad," Alice said, holding Kate's stare. "I am only bored with my life and wish for something more than what my position offers."

"But you are a princess of Kreedday, one of the most powerful vampire kingdoms left in the world!" Kate exclaimed. "Everything that you could ever want is at your fingertips. All you have to do is give the command."

"I have nothing to look forward to but to be used as a pawn," Alice said bitterly. "Rosalie is the one that will have the thrown whenever my father passes it over to her or he dies. Isabella and I are only good for marriage."

"You would still be queen," Tanya said.

"I do not want to be queen," Alice said, desperately wishing that her friends could understand where she was coming from, what she was trying to say. "I only want to be worth more than an object to increase someone's greed. I want love and the option to make my own choices."

"Ha!" Kate laughed harshly. "Your colorful imagination is quite entertaining, but you need to get your head out of the clouds."

"Do not be so close-minded," Alice ordered. "One day it could happen to me."

"In another lifetime, Alice," Kate scoffed. "Because in this one you are a princess and have certain obligations that you cannot back out of."

"I am not married, am I?" Alice bragged.

"No, but your decision has consequences that you have yet to realize," Kate pointed out.

"Not if I do not go back home," Alice said.

"We are here to make sure that you do," a voice as frozen as water in winter murmured from behind Alice and her ladies in waiting. Tanya yelped in fear and Kate's eyes brightened in shock. Alice sniffed the air gingerly and the strong scent of seduction and untold pleasure hit her nostrils. Her sister Rosalie was at her back. Suddenly the air shifted and Alice caught a whiff of meadow flowers and groaned. Rosalie was not alone. Isabella, her other sister, was with her as well.

"Hello, sisters," Alice said brightly as she rose to a standing position. She turned around to face the two. Rosalie's blue eyes dug holes into Alice as she stood like a furious blonde statue. Isabella's brown eyes darkened with barely controlled anger as Alice spoke. "What is it that brings you out here?"

"I would not test our patience if I were you, Alice," Isabella said in a voice so venom-filled that Alice shuddered. "Now you may either come with us back home easily or we will drag you by the hair of the head. You decide. Now."

"We will go easily," Kate said, pulling Tanya with her as she jumped up to her feet.

"Quiet!" Rosalie roared. Kate and Tanya cowered behind Alice.

"Leave them alone," Alice barked, boldly squaring off with her much taller sister. "They had nothing to do with me leaving. I forced them to come along with me. Do not punish them for my mistake."

"We are not the ones to choose what will happen to them," Isabella said, eyes never leaving Alice's face. "Father has the final say on how they will be treated."

"I will not leave with you until you promise that you will tell Father that they should go punishment-free," Alice said, throwing her shoulders back and trying to get the most intimidation out of her tiny frame.

"This is not the—"

"Promise me!" Alice demanded, interrupting Isabella.

"Fine," Rosalie said, color flooding into her cheeks. "We will promise and, unlike you, we will keep our promise."

"Thank you," Alice said, ignoring Rosalie's blunt insult.

"Are we done with this discussion?" Isabella snapped.

Alice nodded reluctantly.

"Back home then," Isabella said, walking over and taking a hold of one of Alice's elbow. Rosalie did the same with her other one. Alice longed to tell them that it was not necessary to escort her like that, that she would never dare dream of running away from them. She would not get very far if she did. Her sisters were much faster than her and were much bigger than her. She would be doomed if she struggled or resisted them.

"A head of us," Rosalie told Kate and Tanya. The two nodded and then took off for the castle. Alice bit the inside of her cheek as she watched her friends leave her behind. She did not want to be left alone with her sisters. There was no telling what they might do in their current states of anger. They were likely to kill her where she stood, and all her father would say is 'what a pity I could not get her first'. She was not his favorite child due to the glaring difference between her and her sisters. He did not know how to deal with a vampire that did not think she was better than humans; that had a mind to care about things other than corruption. She was an anomaly, one that she knew he wouldn't mind getting rid of.

Nothing else left Rosalie or Isabella's lips as they started off after the two ladies in waiting. They each had death grip on Alice's arm as they practically dragged her through the forest. A few times she stumbled from her lack of balance, but she did not fall because Rosalie and Isabella would forcefully hull her back to a standing position and then continue on.

They reached the outside of the kingdom in a matter of minutes. Rosalie and Isabella led Alice through the main street and all the vampires out watched Alice as her shame was made public. She hung her head, not wanting to see the peasants pass their harsh judgment on her. Luckily the walk of humiliation did not last long as they soon came upon the castle. Alice was hauled through the main doors and into the giant hall. It was still decorated for her wedding, though now it was eerily empty.

Rosalie and Isabella released Alice.

"Wait here," Isabella ordered as the two dashed away.

They weren't gone long and when they came back they had their father with them. The trio made their way over to Alice and stopped just a foot away from her. Alice gazed at her sisters and father and noticed that they all wore the same look of disgust, anger, and embarrassment on their similarly still faces. Alice cowered away from them. They were lethal and dangerous, holding no love for her; not that she was expecting any.

"Father, I am so—"

Alice didn't get the chance to apologize as the King struck her across the face. He hit her so hard that she toppled to the floor.

"How dare you!" the King cried, bending down to pick Alice up by the hair of her head. She screamed in pain and tears welled up in her eyes, causing Isabella and Rosalie to twitter with pleasure. The King placed her on her feet and clenched her jaw into his hand, holding her in place. "Do you have any idea what you have done?"

Alice didn't answer, she couldn't. She was in too much pain.

"Do you?" the King repeated, squeezing her jaw even tighter.

"I did not want to insult you, Father," Alice whispered.

"What was it then that you wanted, Alice?" the King asked.

"Freedom," Alice said before she had thought her response through.

"Freedom?" the King barked harshly. "You have no freedom, Alice. You are mine to command and you know this. Why all this nonsense? What do you think you could have gained from what you did?"

"I'm not sure," Alice murmured.

"That is not the answer I want to hear," the King hissed, clenching her jaw tighter. Alice whimpered in pain.

"Her ridiculous ideas could have been influenced from where we found her at," Rosalie said suddenly.

"And where exactly was that?" the King asked, turning slightly toward his oldest daughter.

Alice stared at her sister, pleading with her eyes for her to not say a word; to tell a boldface lie. If she did not then Alice would be in more trouble than she already was, and Alice was terrified to think of what her father might do to her.

Rosalie stared back without so much as an inkling of compassion as she said, "The edge of the forest."

Alice's throat closed up with fear.

"By the road?" the King asked in a low voice, the worst tone that he voice could take.

"Yes, Father," Rosalie said, the corners of her mouth lifting into a cruel smile.

"And what were you doing there?" the King asked, his attention back to Alice.

"W-watching, Father," Alice stuttered weakly.

"Were you hungry?"

"No," Alice whispered.

"Then why watch humans in a place that you are forbidden to be?"

"We overheard her say that she wishes that she could be like them," Isabella said. "She wants to be a human, Father."

"Is that so?" the King barked, his brown eyes boring into Alice's face. "Is your life not good enough for you? Is all that I've given you not to your liking? Do you think that things would be better for you if you were weak?"

Alice didn't answer.

"I can make you weak," the King breathed, grabbing a hold of Alice's left wrist. His fingers roughly brushed over the stone that was fused into her skin. It was pale violet and very rare. Only a few vampires were had them. The stone gave the wearer immortality, and it had been a present from Alice's mother to her when she was born. It was a precious honor, one that Alice knew that her sisters and father didn't think that she deserved. And the stone meant everything to her. Her mother had meant everything to her.

"No," Alice breathed. "Do not take it away."

"I must punish you some way, Alice," the King said.

"She could be forced to go without human blood for two weeks," Isabella suggested. "It will make her weaker than taking away the stone; make her weaker than the pathetic humans that she seems to idolize."

"Do you agree with this?" the King asked Rosalie.

"It is not sufficient enough," Rosalie said.

"Then I will leave the decision of what to do with her to you," the King said, dropping his hand from Alice's jaw. She stumbled backwards, but did not fall to the ground. "I have more important matters to deal with."

"Excellent," Rosalie laughed. The sound was without humor.

The King left, not saying another word to his three daughters. Alice looked at her two sisters with fear. They were cruel and loved torture, and the bright glow on their faces told Alice that they were going to have fun teaching Alice a lesson. This was the worst thing that their father could have ever done to her, leave her life in the hands of Rosalie and Isabella.

"Let us play." Isabella smiled, leading Alice away from the main hall by her hand. Alice closed her eyes, keeping the tears away. She would not cry. No matter what they did to her she would not cry.


	2. Repercussions

Author: Me, Delcesca Newby

**Rating: T just to be on the safe side**

**Author's Note: Thanks so much to the one that has reviewed. It truly means a lot to me, and is one of the driving forces that keeps me writing. I hope that I get more reviews (my fingers are crossed), but I won't beg. Just keep in mind while you read that I would love to know your thoughts.**

**Alright, so I hope you enjoy!**

**P.S. I do not own Twilight or the characters.

* * *

**"The wounds will heal," Kate muttered, rubbing a soothing balm over the deep marks in Alice's legs. Alice hissed in pain and bit her lip so hard that she caused it to bleed. She tried to focus on the bitter iron taste there, just anything to keep her mind off of the agonizing pain that she was. "Though I am not sure how the scars will look."

"Cannot we take her to a healer?" Tanya asked, tears leaking down her pale face at the sorry sight that Alice was in. Alice longed to reach out to her, to comfort her and tell her that she was fine, but she could not. The effects of the poison that Rosalie had injected into her veins hours ago still had not worn off. She could not move without a fiery hot spark of pain shooting through her bruised and beaten body.

"If we try then Isabella and Rosalie will come get us," Kate told Tanya. "And the likelihood that they will spare our lives as they have Alice's is doubtful."

"Spare," Alice spat, a hollow laugh following afterwards even though it hurt. "This is sparing my life to you?"

"Air is entering and leaving your lungs, is it not?" Kate snapped.

"I could die at any moment from what they did to me," Alice said, ignoring Kate's mood.

"But you will not," Kate mumbled. "You will not give them that kind of satisfaction."

"I am going to try not to," Alice said. "Thank you, my friend," she continued, looking at Kate through the swollen lids that hung over her eyes. "I appreciate many times over the care that you are giving me."

"You commanded this of me," Kate said, color coming to her cheeks. "And I am your humble servant."

"You are anything but humble." Alice smiled warmly.

"I try," Kate said, fighting the grin that threatened to cross her face.

"How long do you think that it will take Alice to heal?" Tanya asked Kate.

"You are not allowed to have blood for two weeks?" Kate asked Alice. Alice dipped her head the tiniest fraction, indicating a nod. "Then I would say a month, two to be completely back to normal," Kate said to Tanya.

"Oh, Alice!" Tanya shrieked, sobbing into her hands. "Your sisters are cruel, foul beasts. This is unfair. How could they do this to you?"

"I said that your rejection of Prince James would have consequences," Kate said, staring at Alice with a mixture of pity and irritation. "And you did not want to listen. Now look where you are at, Alice. Things could not be worse."

"I could be in James's bed, celebrating our wedding night by giving him the most intimate part of my being," Alice said. "Lying here sore, beaten, and close to death is a much better fate than the one that my father had planned for me."

"Will what has happened to you teach you to accept what your life holds?" Kate asked, sounding ages older than her actual years.

"No," Alice said as something like hope blared inside her soul. "It has made me long for my freedom even more, and I will get my freedom, Kate. Mark my words."

"Yes, but at what cost?" Kate sighed.

"That I do not care about," Alice answered. "All of Kreedday could crumble and wither away, but that is no longer important to me."

"When was it ever important to you?" Kate asked with shake of her head as she rubbed some more balm into the places on Alice's body where pieces of flesh were missing. Alice could not answer as she gritted her teeth and watched Kate move as fast as she could.

When she was done, Kate wiped her hands on a towel and poked Tanya gently in the side.

"Stop with the tears," she ordered. Tanya looked up, and then dried the water from her cheeks with the edge of her dress. She sniffled a few times, but soon fell silent. "Good," Kate nodded. "Now would you please get me some lavender and rosemary from the bag that the kitchen maid gave to me?"

"Yes," Tanya whispered. She bent down toward the floor and opened the bag. She retrieved two vials and handed them over to Kate once she stood up. Kate uncorked the vials and first poured the lavender, in its liquid form, onto her hand. She dabbed it all over Alice's swollen face and neck, and Alice felt the soothing scent being to shut her mind down.

"Should we let her sleep?" Tanya asked, looking terrified by what might happen if Alice closed her eyes.

"That is the only way she will begin to heal," Kate said, taking a sprig of rosemary and placing it under the pillow that held Alice's head.

"She could die, though," Tanya whispered.

"Then she dies," Kate said, her voice strong but not cruel. "There is nothing else that we can do for her. Her life is now in the hands of the gods. If they wish for her to live than she will live."

"We could sneak her some blood," Tanya suggested. "Why do we not give her a little?"

"No, Tanya," Alice said, her words slightly slurred. Sleep was coming fast. "Do not put yourself in such a grave predicament. I would sooner die than have my friends be punished for something that I brought about myself."

"But you need it, Alice," Tanya moaned.

"No, Tanya," Kate barked as she put the vials and balm back into the bag. "We are done in here," she said briskly as she stood up.

"Thank you," Alice murmured, barely conscious.

"Any time," Kate said and turned away from Alice. She picked up the bag, and then grabbed a hold of Tanya's arm. Alice watched as Kate led Tanya out of the room in a hurry. The door was shut with a snap behind them.

"Watch over me," Alice begged the gods as she drifted away. "Please watch over me."

* * *

It was dark when she woke. Moonlight shown through the windows, falling onto Alice's face as her eyes fluttered open. She tried to sit up, but something forced her back down.

"Stay still," a familiar voice commanded. Alice's eyes were unable to focus and she left trying to figure out who it was to her mind, but it could not place a face to the voice.

"I do not hurt," Alice commented, noticing how her entire body was numb. Deep down she knew that should worry her, but it felt so nice not to be in so much pain that she did not place much stock in her worries.

"The poison is in its final stages," the voice said as whoever it was wiped a damp cloth against Alice's forehead. "Soon it will either kill you or leave your body entirely."

"I am so thirsty," Alice said as the agonizing sensation erupted in her throat.

"I know," the voice sighed. "I wish I could give you something, but it is forbidden."

"My sisters are cruel," Alice hissed.

"Yes," the voice agreed sadly. "I do not know how they turned out that way."

"You are not my mother, are you?" Alice suddenly asked the voice.

"No, I am not," the voice chuckled softly.

"Oh," Alice muttered with disappointment. "If I die then I will be able to see her again," Alice said, a smile coming to her face. "My mother was beautiful and gentle. I do not think that she was ever supposed to be a vampire, as I think that I am not supposed to be one."

"But you are," the voice said. "And you must accept that, Alice."

"No," Alice said as the numbness began to fade and a burning agony, like fire in her veins, replaced it. "I will be free, somehow," she whispered.

"It is happening," the voice said, sounding terrified.

"I want to go back to sleep," Alice moaned as the pain shook her entire body. "Please put me back to sleep."

"Do not worry," the voice murmured. Alice heard something being uncorked, and then fingers were dabbing lavender onto her face. It was a much heavier dose than the first time, and in moments Alice was back to sleep.

* * *

"Alice," a voice whispered, the sound echoing through Alice's barely awakened mind. "Alice, please wake up. Please, please, please."

"_Ssh_," Alice muttered groggily, raising her hand to silence whoever was speaking. "I want to sleep."

"Is she alive?" another voice asked, this one more distant than the first.

"Her hand moved did it not?" the first voice snapped.

"Maybe it was one of those tremors that go through someone who has recently died," the second voice said. "I heard about it from Edward."

"You should stay away from him," the first voice instructed, sounding stern and controlling. "He is not a good enough for you."

"But I love him," the second voice whined. It was obvious that whoever it was was on the verge of crying.

"You think you do," the first voice sighed heavily. "But you do not—"

"Stop talking, both of you!" Alice roared. "I want to sleep and you are making that difficult."

"I told you that she was alive," the first voice snipped.

"Oh, Alice," the second voice sobbed, and suddenly Alice felt arms around her, crushing her to someone's chest. Her eyes fluttered open and the first thing that her mind registered was the strong smell of innocence and burning sweet grass.

"Tanya," Alice groaned, shoving her friend away from her. Or at least she tried. Alice noticed quickly that her body was weak, much weaker than it had ever been before. "Yes, I am alive," Alice mumbled when she realized that she would not be able to pry her best friend off of her.

"Let her go," Kate barked, wrenching Tanya away from Alice. Alice fell back onto her soft bed and landed with a loud thud. Nothing hurt even though Alice knew that should not be the case.

"A numbing agent," Kate answered Alice's silent question.

"Thank you so much," Alice told her.

"I did not mean to do that," Tanya cried, tears leaking down her face. "I am so sorry, Alice. Please forgive me."

"I forgive you," Alice smiled gently, locking her gaze with Tanya's. "And do not cry. I am fine, or at least for the time being I am."

"It was touch and go there for awhile," Kate told Alice as she sat down on the bed beside her. She patted the spot next to her, and Tanya flung herself into Kate's side. Kate shook her head as she wrapped her arm around Tanya's slight shoulders, but she did not comment.

"How long was I asleep for?" Alice asked.

"Four days," Kate said.

"Four days!" Alice exclaimed, and then sniffed the air. She was met with an instant assault against her senses. "How can you stand to be around me now? I smell horrible."

"No different from any other day," Kate teased.

"I need to bathe," Alice said, smiling at Kate's joke. "Could you possibly carry me down to the creek?"

"I am sorry, Alice, but we cannot," Kate said, looking sad. "Your father has forbidden you from leaving the castle."

"He is holding me prisoner," Alice spat.

"What else did you expect?" Kate asked.

"A little more trust," Alice said, situating herself on her bed to be more comfortable.

"Are you saying that you would not take off if given an opportunity? Like the one that would present itself if we took you to bathe in the creek?" Kate asked; a smile in her eyes. "If that is the case then you are not my friend."

"I would not until after I got my blood," Alice mumbled, causing Kate to laugh loudly.

"I find myself not being able to believe you," Kate said after her laughter had died away. "You would at least try, and you know that, Alice. And everyone else in this castle—kingdom even—knows that as well. You will not be able to pull a fast one on anyone here."

"You are supposed to be my friend, right?" Alice asked, staring at Kate meaningfully. Kate nodded. "Then you will not allow me to sit in this soiled bed while I smell as if I rolled in horse dung."

"Would you like me to give you a sponge bath and have a servant change your bed sheets?" Kate asked; a smile on her lips.

"If that is all you will do, then yes," Alice huffed.

"I could," Kate said, her grin getting wider. She stood up and pulled Tanya with her. "Would you mind telling a servant to bring me a basin full of water? Also tell another servant that they will have to change Alice's bed."

"I can do that," Tanya nodded, drying the last of her tears.

"Good," Kate nodded. "I will get things together in your wash room, Alice."

"I will be back as soon as possible," Tanya announced as she opened the door to Alice's room and walked out.

"Can you stay here without trying to cause chaos for a few minutes?" Kate asked Alice.

"I guess," Alice sighed.

"That is a good girl," Kate praised, causing Alice to give her a fierce glare.

Kate laughed deeply as she walked into the other room. Alice shook her head and stared down at her hands. They were no longer pale, the color of polished ivory. They were bruised black, blue, and purple. She examined the rest of her arms. They were in the same state. It was going to take her forever to be back to the way she was before, if she could even get there.

Alice wasn't left alone for long. Less than ten minutes later Tanya was back with two servants. One had sheets, blankets, and pillows in her hands. The other was carrying a large basin of steaming water.

"You may leave," Kate said to the one servant as she stepped back into Alice's room.

The servant handed Tanya the water and quickly left without a word.

"Put the basin in the washroom while I get Alice," Kate told Tanya. Tanya nodded and did as was instructed.

When she was gone Kate hurried over to Alice.

"This may hurt a little. I gave you the numbing potion many hours ago. It should be wearing off," Kate said, putting her arms underneath Alice's body.

"I do not care. I just want to feel semi-normal again," Alice responded; bracing herself as Kate lifted her up. A small shard of pain sizzled through Alice's body, but it was nothing compared to the hurt she had been in days ago.

"Are you all right?"

"I will live," Alice reassured her. "Please take me to be washed now. I doubt you will be able to hold onto me much longer, and I do not want to be dropped onto the floor."

"Yes, your smell is incredible," Kate agreed, smiling wildly. "You have every right to be worried."

"You are hilarious," Alice sighed as Kate carried her into the washroom. She set her down on a marble platform, and Alice bit her lip against the fire that shot through her nerves. It was getting worse as the moments ticked away.

"How are you?" Kate asked.

"I can feel it fading," Alice responded.

"I am going to do my best to get this done quickly," Kate said sheepishly. "This will hurt even more," she continued as she lifted the hem of Alice's nightdress and pulled gently.

Kate did her best to make undressing Alice as simple and pain-free as possible, but Alice still ended up holding back tears as she sat there; her fingers curled into her palms, nails cutting into her bruised skin as the last of the numbing agent wore off.

"I am so sorry," Kate whispered.

"Just please get this over with," Alice moaned softly.

Kate nodded and set off to work. She dipped a large sponge, first into a sweet smelling soap, and then into the basin of water. She squeezed the excess water out, and began the task of washing Alice's naked body.

The sponge was bitterly cold (though it should have been hot) where it touched, but moments after it was gone a trail of boiling ache followed in its wake. Alice did her best to stay quiet while Kate cleaned her, but she could not keep the small moans and whimpers from escaping her lips. Kate kept mumbling her apologizes as she hastily got the bathing done.

"Tanya, I need a new nightgown!" Kate yelled when she was finished.

"I want my hair done," Alice whispered, realizing that Kate had not touched her head.

"I do not think that is wise," Kate said.

"Do it," Alice commanded, a little fierceness in her voice.

"Fine, but I will need Tanya's help, so you have to wait," Kate huffed. "Tanya!"

"Coming," Tanya called as she zipped into the washroom. In her hands was a silk, pale purple cloth. She set it down next to Alice.

"She wants her hair washed," Kate told Tanya, disbelief echoing in her voice. "I cannot do it myself, so you will have to help."

"Of course," Tanya nodded. She knelt down on the other side of Alice, and waited for her marching orders.

"Together we are going to tip her back so that her hair is in the basin water. Then you will hold onto her—gently!—while I do the rest. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Tanya said.

"Prepare yourself, Alice," Kate whispered.

"I am ready," Alice muttered. Kate nodded to Tanya and the two of them slowly tipped Alice's head into the water. She longed to scream out, the pain was so horrible, but she kept her lips sealed shut, though she couldn't keep the tears from falling down her cheeks.

"This will be over in a moment," Tanya promised as Kate hastily scrubbed Alice's hair clean. Then the suds were rinsed out, and in a matter of moments Alice was being dried off and slipped into her nightgown.

"How are you feeling?" Kate asked.

"I think sleep will drown out the pain," Alice answered, her voice small.

"Just a couple minutes. Can you last that long?"

"Yes," Alice said.

"Help me," Kate ordered Tanya.

Together the two of them lifted Alice as gently as they could and carried her quickly back to her freshly made bed. Within moments she was under her covers, moaning and crying in pain.

"Look what we did," Tanya sobbed. "Alice, I am so sorry. I am."

"It is—do not—please no tears," Alice breathed.

"Do something for her!" Tanya cried loudly.

"I am, you fool," Kate snapped, rushing over to Alice's bedside. She held something in her hands. "Be quiet!"

"Alice," Tanya whimpered.

"No better than a newborn babe," Kate said, uncorking the vial she held. She bent over Alice and pressed the top to her lips. "Drink this and you will be asleep in minutes; away from the pain," she told her.

Alice opened her mouth, fighting through the fire, and Kate tipped the liquid into her parched throat. It was cool and thick as it rolled over her tongue and down. It tasted like honey and wild berries, a pleasant combination, but not what Alice craved. Blood would make everything better, blood was the answer.

"I want—"

Alice began to say, but could not finish as the sleeping agent in liquid quickly took effect, and her eyelids drooped.

"Sleep," Kate cooed, patting Alice's damp hair gently.

"Um hmm," Alice sighed, a pleasant darkness crashing down on her mind, taking away every feeling in her tormented body.


End file.
